Work at Bungie!

That's right, we don't just talk about games, we also [i]make[/i] them. And we can't do it on our own, so we're [url=http://www.bungie.net/Inside/Page.aspx?section=Jobs&subsection=Main&page=1]HIRING NEW PEEPS![/url] So, maybe you're qualified, or you know someone who is, or maybe you just want to know more.

Either way, you can go check out our current [url=http://www.bungie.net/Inside/Page.aspx?section=Jobs&subsection=Main&page=1]available positions[/url] and see what tickles your fancy.

New Wallpapers!

New wallpapers are available, courtesy of our very own "Prettyboy" Shishka and they're themed around ODSTs and Brutes. They're quite lovely and you can [url=http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo2/Gallery.aspx?Gallery=Wallpaper&page=2]Download Them Here[/url]. The wallpapers are, as usual, available in various sizes and resolutions.

Why are you still reading, when you could be downloading wallpapers? [url=http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo2/Gallery.aspx?Gallery=Wallpaper&page=2]Download Them Here[/url].

Greatest Halo 2 Player Found?

Although we can track stats for multiplayer games, we can't do so for Campaign, which is a shame, because one talented player has managed to complete Halo 2 in Legendary mode in "about ten hours." This beats our tester's records by a considerable amount and is to be admired without question.

Some players are barely able to get past the second boarding party on the very first level in less than three hours, so to complete the entire game on Legendary in ten is incredible. The skillster in question is one Charlie Sinhaseni from [url=http://www.gamingnexus.com/Review.asp?ID=627]GamingNexus.com[/url] and you can read his review and legendary exploits [url=http://www.gamingnexus.com/Review.asp?ID=627]HERE[/url].
Thanks to the many Bungie.net readers who pointed out this incredible feat, and the many players who admired Mr. Sinhaseni's ability to do this largely on foot, according to his review.
Kudos!

Stat Attack!

Now that Halo 2 has been played for a while, our stats database is starting to get bloated and gassy. As part of ongoing maintenance, we're going to be purging older stats – specifically the rich data like the Game Viewer. The less detailed stats, basically kills, deaths and assists, will be kept for much longer.

If you have older stats that you care to keep a record of, the simplest way to do so is to take a screenshot of the data you'd like to retain.
The dates and amounts of info have yet to be decided so we suggest that if you're a clan or a serious stat freak, you start archiving your favorite old games now. This process will be an ongoing part of the weeding and pruning necessary to keep Bungie.net running smoothly. You have been warned!
Spread the word!

Chris Butcher's Kiwi Klatch

Our very own Chris Butcher appears as the subject of a compelling article in [url=http://www.listener.co.nz/default,2999.sm]The New Zealand Listener[/url] and speaks eloquently on the trials and tribulations of engineering code for Halo 2.

[url=http://www.listener.co.nz/default,2999.sm]The New Zealand Listener[/url] is one of the leading publications in New Zealand, home of Maori culture, Whanganui National Park and of course, the looming, ever present spectre of Mount Doom and the baleful eternal glare of Sauron himself.

Spike TV Awards

Spike TV's annual video game awards will air on December 14th, and feature the best games of the year, lined up in their sparkly finest to win awards, or cry themselves to sleep after losing. You decide who wins and you can vote for your favorite game [url=http://www.spiketv.com/events/vga2004/]Right Here![/url]

Might we suggest you [url=http://www.spiketv.com/events/vga2004/]VOTE[/url] for a little game we like to call Halo 2?

Halo 2 is here. And playing Halo 2 should make it easier to get through the grim rain of the Thanksgiving holiday. With that in mind, we've prepared a monster guide to getting around the intricate maze of features and fun in Halo 2. Check back throughout the month for more news and updates.

Xbox Live Most-Played Games

Last week's Xbox Live rankings (most-played games on the Xbox Live service) shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, but it's worth noting that Xbox Live activity is up overall as a result of you know what. Which is cool for everyone. Thanks to Major Nelson from Xbox.com for collating this list.

Bungie Weekly What's Update!

You guys sure have a lot of questions. Luckily, we're in the business of [url=http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=weeklyupdatenov19]answering them.[/url] So here, for your delight and edification are the answers to the most "popular" questions of the week, with special guest answerers!

Seriously, go check out all the networking, matchmaking and secret-related answers we're prepared to give out today. And again, the [url=http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=weeklyupdatenov19]ANSWERS ARE HERE![/url]

It's been a long time since we last checked in with our friends at RvB. We managed to pull Buzby away from Halo 2 just long enough to get an update on how things have been and we've also got a special video treat you won't want to miss.

Exclusive Multiplayer Guide Pages!

Thanks to our friends at Prima Games and Piggyback Interactive, we are pleased to offer Bungie.net readers a sneak preview of some of its multiplayer guide pages in [url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/9/e/49ea4306-f7eb-4164-8a98-625d4106307e/H2_E_216-219_1117_CO.pdf]PDF format right here[/url].

Again, you can download a sample in [url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/9/e/49ea4306-f7eb-4164-8a98-625d4106307e/H2_E_216-219_1117_CO.pdf]PDF format right here[/url].
Piggyback and Prima, as you may be aware, produced the best-selling Official Halo 2 Strategy Guide in conjunction with Bungie. If you haven't checked out the guide, you should, since its publisher claims it's the fastest selling initial release they've ever had – ahead of even Bill Clinton's recent autobiography.
The pages available here give detailed strategies on the Zanzibar map, but you can find more samples for download at [url=http://www.piggybackinteractive.com/en/halo2/downloads.html]Piggyback Interactive[/url]
and download exclusive additional pages at [url=http://www.primagames.com/strategy/book/6649]Prima Games[/url]

Halo 2 Clan Update

Apparently a number of players have had some problems with their Halo 2 Clans today. Not to worry, the Xbox Live team is aware of the issue and they're working on restoring your Clan very soon. Your Clan has NOT been deleted.

Our inboxes have been filling up with panicked mails from a number of players who have logged into Live and noticed that their Clan is no longer appearing. Don't worry folks,
[b]YOUR CLAN HAS NOT BEEN DELETED![/b]
Whew.
The Xbox Live team is working to fix the problem right now and your Clan should be as good as new soon. =)
Update: Major Nelson from Xbox.com has let us know that maintenance on Xbox Live will be taking place at 4 PM PDT today and should last about 30 minutes. You may experience unpredictable results with your Clan while this work is underway.
Also, please note : If you were in a Clan originally that was not appearing as of about 5 hours ago and you decided to make a new one, you will be rolled back to your original Clan when the maintenance work is complete. Your new Clan you created will not exist. If you weren't already in a Clan and just happened to make a new one from scratch, no worries - everything will be fine.

Make with the Voting!

[url=http://www.forbes.com/personaltech/2004/11/15/cx_ld_1115mondaymatchup.html]Forbes magazine[/url], when not oppressing the steamer classes, or arguing for a flat tax, has other interests. Some of which appear to include video games.

Obviously those number-crunching, monocle-wearing, tatterdemalion-abhorring plutocrats like to hit the Rumble Pit for some deathmatch carnage. As evidenced by this [url=http://www.forbes.com/personaltech/2004/11/15/cx_ld_1115mondaymatchup.html]POLL[/url] which you should go fix, now-ish.

Bungie is pleased to announce the Halo 2 AutoUpdate, a small Xbox Live download that will improve and expand the functionality of Halo 2 for Xbox. Most of these improvements concern Xbox Live play, but a 480p enhancement is also included.

Presenting yet another in a series of official, Bungie Guides. This time we take a look at driveable vehicles, both Covenant and Human, both Campaign and Multiplayer. Join us, find out a bit more about vehicles and maybe even learn a thing or two!

Halo PC 1.06 - Manual Update

We're about to release the 1.06 update for Halo PC. Users of 1.05 will need to follow these *manual* update instructions to receive the update.

Halo Hot-Fix v1.06: The Halo for Windows v1.06 Hotfix addresses a rare crash bug that could occur if a malicious individual (hacker) purposely imitates a game server and sends invalid data to clients who try to browse the server list. This hot-fix changes the version number of Halo for Windows and the Halo for Windows Dedicated Server to v1.06 from v1.05. [b]NOTE: Due to an incompatibility discovered between some systems and the updated Auto-patcher released with version 1.05, users of 1.05 will have to manually download an updated Auto-patcher 1.06 and run it from the Halo directory to receive this latest update.[/b] Users updating form prior versions can auto-patch from the game. This issue is addressed for any future patches beyond 1.06.
Users of HaloPC 1.0 through 1.04 will receive the normal auto-update message, however a change in the auto-updater will require users of 1.05 to follow a special manual-update procedure:
If you are running HaloPC 1.05, follow the following precedure to update:
1. Save the following file to your game directory, such as c:\program files\microsoft games\halo. Overwrite the existing file. Remember to "save" this file, don't try to "open" it directly from the website. [url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/4/0/440419e2-db95-455c-8871-54b1cd89ad07/haloupdate.exe]HaloUpdate 1.06[/url]
2. Now that the file is saved, run it. If you receive an error message, such as that strings.dll was not found, you probably didn't save it to the location where the game was installed.
3. Allow it to download the full 1.06 patch and install it. You're done!
Users of versions other than 1.05 can auto-patch, or download and run this file: [url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/3/2/a/32ae960e-9a8b-4674-bbea-92ae5e6c701b/halopc106.exe]Halo PC 1.06[/url]
A new dedicated server is available here: [url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/6/f/76fecf5b-21b4-4255-8416-37b2f4846f7b/haloded.exe]Halo 1.06 Dedicated Server[/url]

GAMESPY POLL: THE LAST PUSH!

It's way after Election Day and accusations of voter irregularities are still rife! [url=http://www.gamespy.com]GameSpy is still running a poll[/url] to decide which game folks are most excited about! Express your excitement for Halo by voting as many times as you like, as far as we can tell. The poll is on the [url=http://www.gamespy.com]front page of GameSpy[/url] on the bottom left!

Are we aiding in the voting irregularites? Yes. Halo Pride baby. [url=http://www.gamespy.com]Again, that's the front page of GameSpy[/url] on the bottom left! The voting is close now. TOO CLOSE!
PS, we think Half Life 2 is rad, we would simply like to win the vote.

Weekly What's Update

The Weekly Update is back!..sort of. Since we don't have any game development stories to share anymore, we're opening it up to [url=/News/TopStory.aspx?story=weeklywhats111204]reader Q&A.[/url] This week, a number of popular Halo 2 queries are answered. (Mister Chief included!)

Frankie is away in LA rubbing elbows with Hollywood elite and doing yet another TV gig. But back here in Redmond, the show must go on. Luckily, through the power of the internet, he was able to beam us the latest version of the Weekly What's Update so we can pass it along to you. A few things have changed since the original updates (the game finished!) but Frankie has shifted gears to answer your pressing questions about anything and everything. And yes, Mister Chief is still here too.
Go [url=http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=weeklywhats111204]HERE[/url] to read it now.
You can use our forums to pose your own questions which might get answered next week.
For more questions about Halo 2, be sure to check out all of the information contained in the various docs on the stats page. The FAQ and detailed guides about matchmaking and stats provide a wealth of information.

The Halo Humpday Challenge

Starting today, we're launching a weekly challenge. We're throwing down the gauntlet and playing Halo 2 on Xbox Live against anyone who wants to take us on. This week, it was [url=/News/TopStory.aspx?story=humpdaychallengeIGN]IGN.com[/url] and you can see the results of that carnage right [url=/News/TopStory.aspx?story=humpdaychallengeIGN]HERE[/url].

And since it all happened on Xbox Live, you can actually see the stats, the Game Viewer and more importantly, the proof behind the winning team's [url=/News/TopStory.aspx?story=humpdaychallengeIGN]smacktalk[/url]. Of course, you'll have to sign into Bungie.net to see everything...

Halo 2 Launch!

Halo 2 is here! Yesterday and last night proved to be an exciting time for thousands of fans across the U.S. who eagerly awaited the midnight hour. Here's a [url=/News/TopStory.aspx?story=launchstory]recap[/url] of what we were up to.

So much happened yesterday that the story quickly grew beyond the confines of a mere "regular" news story. However, since we're still welcoming tons of new Halo 2 fans, I don't want to overwrite Frankie's general "Welcome/Help" top story. Instead, I've created a hybrid. This regular news story that happens to link to a top story. Enjoy!
[url=/News/TopStory.aspx?story=launchstory]Halo 2 FanFest & Midnight Madness Story[/url]
[url=/News/TopStory.aspx?story=launchphotos]Halo 2 Launch Photo Gallery[/url]
What were you and your friends doing yesterday? Share your experiences in our forums!

Halo 2 is finally here. And it's a monster. So with that in mind, we've prepared a monster guide to getting around the intricate maze of features and fun in Halo 2. Check back throughout the week for more news and updates.

Halo 2 FanFest & Midnight Madness!

Today's the big day! We're just a few short hours away from the Halo 2 FanFest at the Sci-Fi museum in downtown Seattle and then it's just a few more hours until the game is released throughout the U.S. Come hang with us at our party if you can. If you can't make it, we'll be visiting a number of game stores in the area to spread the Bungie love while you await the midnight hour.

If you live in the Seattle area, come join us from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM TODAY at the Sci-Fi museum for a Halo 2 FanFest. We'll have multiplayer stations available for play, TONS of prizes to give away and plenty of Bungie staff on hand to answer questions and serve a few plates of whoop ass.
More details on the FanFest can be found [url=/News/Story.aspx?link=5FBCE746-4C57-487C-9BA9-EFD205A2A30E]HERE![/url]
If you can't make, don't fret... We know a lot of you have to work and/or attend school. We also know that a lot of you plan on going to your local game store to pick up your copy of Halo 2 right at midnight tonight.
The Bungie team will be loading up on the party bus and touring a number of game stores in the Seattle area to chat with our fans and give out more prizes! No sense in making you stand out in the cold all alone with nothing fun to do!
Unfortunately we can only realistically visit a few stores in the area. Here's our current plan of attack. This list is subject to change based on how the day unfolds and how drunk the Webmaster gets (who knew he has a bus drivers license?)*
Bungie Party Bus Midnight Madness Tour (in order of visits)
[*] Pacific Place EB Games (approx. 9:45 PM)
[*] Westlake Center EB Games (approx. 10:15 PM)
[*] Best Buy - Bellevue (approx. 10:50 PM)
[*] Gamestop Bellevue Square (approx. 11:30 PM)
[*] EB Games - Redmond Town Center (approx. Midnight)
We hope to see you today either at FanFest or at one of the midnight madness events.
And, for everyone else who doesn't live near us, have a blast tonight at your own parties and events and we'll all be collectively sharing in the Halo 2 launch extravaganza! Tomorrow we'll be looking for you all on Xbox Live. Bring it!
[i]*we're just kidding here folks, drinking and driving is always a bad idea. Even the Webmaster knows when to hand over the keys. If you're having a Halo 2 bash of your own, please party responsibly.[/i]